Rotary-valve gear.



E. R. HOBBS. ROTARY VALVE GEAR. APPLlcAloN FlLED D'Ec.,29.

Patented Feb. 25, 19l9.

me Norms versus zo.. www4 n ELBERT R. HOBBS, OF '.BUHL, IDAHO.

ROTARY-VALVE GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

Application filed December 29, 1915. Serial No. 69,169.

- To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELBERT R.- I-IoBBs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buhl, in the county of Twin Falls and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary-Valve Gears, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to valve gears for fluid engines and more particularly to rotary valves and a system of control therefor.

An object of my invention is to provide a double acting balanced valve structure making use of the type of valve described in Letters Patent No."1,137 ,758 granted to me May 4, 1915.

Another object of my invention is to provide a system of rotary valve control whereby fluid may be let into either side of the engine cylinder at the same rate and in the same quantity.

Further objects of my invention are to provide novel arrangements and combinations of parts whereby various new and better results may be obtained in the art to which it pertains.

VMy invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure lis a plan view, partly in section, of a iiuid engine equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the valve seat.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the intermediate valve member looking from within the steam chest.

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in section, of the cap valve member, looking from within the steam chest.

Referring to the drawings in particular, 4 is the engine cylinder, adjoining which is a cylindrical steam chest 5 whose interior is connected through short steam ducts ,6 and 16 leading from opposite ends of the steam chest to the respective opposite ends of the cylinder. The ducts 6 and 16 terminate in the steam chest in openings 7 and 17 in the valve seats 1 and 11 respectively. Intermediate valve members 2 and 12'engage the valve seats 1 and 11 and are in turn engaged by the cap members 3 and 13, respectively.

The cap members 3 and 13 are connected to i each other by cylindrical telescoping extensions 9 and 19, held in fixed angular relation extension 19. These telescoping sections inclose an exhaust space 2O within the steam space 21 and are provided with an annular packing 22 interposed at the sliding joint in order to prevent the leakage of steam between the spaces 2O and 21. The cap members 3 and 13 are rotated by means of the shaft 23 which passes through the member 13 and is xed to the member 3. This shaft carries a coiled compression spring 24 adapt-- ed to bear against 3 and 13 and hold them against the intermediate valve members 2 and 12. The intermediate member 12 is rotated by the hollow shaft 25 to which it is fixed, and carries with it the other intermediate member 2 by means of the rigid arms 26 xed to the member 12 and slidably engaging the member 2. This slidable engagement of the pairs of members 2-12 and 3-13 is provided in order to permit the members of each pair to move away from each other to take up the wear.

The valve members 1-11, 2-12 and 3-13 coperate in the same manner as those described in the patent previously referred kto and diifer only inform to adapt them to the arrangement here used. As the members l, 2 and 3 are substantially like the members 11, 12 and 13, respectively, a description of one set, 1, 2 andr 3, will suiiice. The engaging or bea-ring surfaces of the several' valve members. are made conical in shape in order to keep them in alinement. A single radial opening 7 in the valve seat 1 connects with the steam duct 6 while aseries of arc-shaped openings 10 near the center of the valve seat lead to an annular exhaust duct 8 connected with the atmosphere or a condenser through a suitable passage not shown. In the intermediate member 2 is aseries of arc-shaped perforations 36 registering with the openings 10, and on opposite sides of the center are groups of radial perforations 27 and 28, an end perforation 29 and 30 in eachv group communicating with an arc-shaped recess 31 and 32, respectively, which recesses open only on the face engaging the valve seat 1 and are separated from each other at the ends a distance slightly greater than the width of the opening 7. Sockets 33 are formed in the member 2 near its periphery to engage the rigid arms 26, previously referred to, which sockets have their side walls parallel to the axis of rotation of the valve so as to permit axial movement between the valve and the arms while maintaining a constant angular relation. The cap member 3 is formed with a recess 34 and a perforation 35 each adapted to communicate with one or more of the perforations in the groups 27 and 28 in the intermediate member, according to the relative angular position :of the two members, theV perforation 35 communicating at all times v with the perforations 36. The spaces formed by the perforations and recesses in .the different members l, 2 and 3 are so arranged and proportioned that when the members are superposed in .the relative angularpositions .shown in Figs. rl, 2 and 3, .the recess 34 and perforation 35 will be out ofconnection with the perforations 27 and 28, and the perforations 27 .and 28 and recesses .3l and 32 `out of connection with the opening 7. Thus, in .this position, there is no passage of ,communication between .the valve members excepting through the perforations 1.0, '36 and y35 which form the .exhaust passage. However, if .the cap member 43 is rotated in .a clockwise direction, the recess .34 will .be brought into .communication with `one o-r .several of the perforations .of `group 2.8., according to the amount .of rotation, while the perforation 35 will be brought into communication with the same number of perforationsin the group 27 .and with the recess 31 via the perforation 2.9. It will be .seen that by varying this adjustment, the amount of steam admitted to .the cylinder through the opening 7 at each counterclochvvise revolution of the members 2 .and `3, asa whole, maly .be varied.

v ela-tive rotation of the cap and intermediate member is .eifected :by means Y=of the concentric shafts `23 (and 25 which .are normally rotated as a Whole with a cylindrical casing 37, motion .being transmitted to the casing 37 through the .bevel gears v66 and 67 from the engine shaft. The concentric shafts 23 zand '25 .are arranged to .be rotated or adjusted in relation .to each other, during their rotation as va Whole, by means of .the lever .51. Motion is .transmitted from the lever .51 through .the link 453,..a slip ring 5.0., rack 145 .gear 44 bevel l,f ears .42-41 Yto .the solid shaft23.. .Thehandle 51 may be locked in any .adjusted position by means vof the lock plate .5.6.

The vnperat'ion of an engi-ne making .use .of :the .type .of valve .shown herein is set out vin .detail in the patent vpreviously referred to, .and it .suffices .here .to .describe a .complete cycle of a charge .of steam kthrough one side .of .the engine cylinder, the .cycle .of the charge lthrong-h the .other side being identi- .cally .the Same.

that .the intermediate valve member `21s adgusted so that :the inlet recess 34 commimication with several of2 the V,perfo:rations AY2,8, and @the .exhaust perforation cpmmiuncaition with the .recess ,31 viathe perforation 29, and also that the space 21 in the steam chest is connected With a suitable source of steam supply not shown the steam will first pass from the space 2l through recess 34, the first one of the perforations 28, opening 7, steam duct 6, into the cylinder 4 back of the piston.V As the piston vmoves forward, the steam continues to enter the cylinder over the path described through successive perforations 2 8. As the piston nears the end of the forward stroke, the iow of steam is cut off by the movement ,ofthel perforations 28 .out of communication with. the opening 7. At the beginning .of the back stroke, the recess 31k is brought into communication with the open-,img 7 so that `during the entire back stroke the vexhaust steam will pass out to atmosphere .or con denser via duct 6, opening 7, recess 31, perforation 29, Iexhaust .chamber 20 .and 'perforations 36 and 10.

Having thus ldescribed my inventionvvhat I claim vand desire .to secure by vLetters `Patent is:

l. A double rotary .valve comprismg two sets of valve members each iset comprising a valve seat, an .intermediate valve 'member and :a cap member superposed one upon the other, the valve seats of opposite .sets formiopposite Walls .of a steam chest, the cap members of opposite sets forminglopposite walls of an exhaust chamben'the intermediate valve .members of yeach set being interposed between the .adjacent .said opposite Walls, and the said valve ,seat cap member and intermediate member of .each set being formed `into nested `.cones A,to act as a thrust bearing for the valve. Q s

2. A valve comprising .a .steam chest hav- .ing coaxial conical .valve seats 'in 4.the 'inner Yscoping cylinder, each Aof ysaid cap members having a passage therein communicating with the inne-r ,space Aof Ysaid ,cylinder and said inner face fof its associated intermedi ate member, land another .passage .therein isolated from `said .first .passage and :.colillliuu-ieating with the inner space .of .said .steam chest fand the lsaid innerface .of associated .intermediate member, .all .of said C fyflndrjcal faces and valveseats beingicoaxiahmeans .for rotating all said intermediate and cap members as a whe-ele, means for said intermediate members in fixed angular relation to each other While permitting relative axial movement; means for maintaining said capi members in fixed angular relation to each other While permitting relative axial movement, means for maintaining each intermediate member in engagement with its associated valve seat and each cap member in engagement with its associated intermediate member under pressure and means for rotating said intermediate members and said cap members in relation to each other.

3. In a fluid engine having a pressure driven member inclosed in a Working chamber, a steam chest Or iuid pressure chamber having ports communicating with the Working chamber, opposite conical valve seats in Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Said chest, rotary valve members having opposite conical portions engaging said seats and perforated at proper points to form cooperating ports, said engaging conical portions and seats constituting thrust bearings for said valve members and the sealing joints for said steam chest, and tensioning means Operable independently of steam pressure on the valve members tending to thrust said rotary valve members apart and into engagement with their respective seats.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ELBERT R. HOBBS. Witnesses:

GEO. W. HOOVER, GEO. R. VOSBURG.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

